The Olive Branch. Accent on Worship Anna Scott. Sunday Readings

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1 December 6, 2017 Accent on Worship Anna Scott Last week my twin sister and I organized a small group of women who were going to focus on mindfulness and movement for two weeks. Mindfulness because every day, and more so in this typically more full season, we kept feeling like our minds would race away, spinning like tops as they wobbled around daily tasks and work and the addition of holiday demands. The movement piece was to balance out how much extra we ask of our body during this time as well. The winter is setting in, the meals are heartier, the cookies trays are out you know how it is. Our small group had a range of ages, lifestyles, and circumstances that have made it an interesting study in how creating and giving ourselves time to care for ourselves can be a difficult challenge with beautiful benefits. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what s going on around us. Think about it with me. Consider when is the last time you sat in a peaceful silence just paying attention to the present moment, unattached to any particular thought or worry or task or feeling? How often do you find means to fill mental space with distractions or noise? When having a conversation, does your mind wander away to other things you have to do? As modern humans, we have become conditioned to overstimulation as if it is the necessary pace we function from, filling our lives and schedules with meaning, but rarely paying close attention to the actual living of life that is happening in the in between. Retraining the mind to stay present allows us to fully engage in the beautiful gift of the present moment. Practices of gratitude, deep breathing, meditation, and prayerful contemplation are age-old revolutions from the modern societal norms that push and pull us while leaving us unfulfilled. As we walk through this Advent season of waiting and patience, I invite you to practice some intentional mindfulness or to expand what you ve been practicing and try something new. There is abundant grace and joy right now even as we wait. If you need ideas, please let me know! Sunday Readings December 10, 2017 Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 40:1-11 Psalm 85:1-2, Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8 December 17, 2017 Third Sunday of Advent Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Psalm Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 1

2 Sunday s Adult Forum Sunday, December 10: A Liturgical Reading of Mark, part 2 of a 2-part series, presented by Dr. Charles Bobertz Long before the Gospel writers put pen to papyrus, the earliest Christians participated in the powerful rituals of baptism and the Lord s Supper, which fundamentally shaped their understanding of God, Christ, and the world in which they lived. In these forums, a respected biblical scholar and teacher explores how cultural anthropology and ritual studies elucidate ancient texts. Dr. Charles Bobertz is Professor of Theology at the College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minnesota. Sunday, December 17: St. Lucia Scandinavian Brunch, hosted by the Crosby and Pipkorn families. New Member Welcome Mount Olive will welcome new members (or associate members) into membership this Sunday, December 10, at the 10:45 liturgy. A welcome brunch for everyone will follow the liturgy at 12:15 pm. If you would like to be included in this new member group, or if you know someone who would like an invitation to join, please contact Cha at the church office by or phone (welcome@mountolivechurch.org or 612/ ) or speak with Pastor Crippen. Thanks! Transitions Support Group: Saturday, January 6, 2018 This group will hold its next get together at the home of Grace Wiechman at 10:00 on Saturday, January 6. For more information, please contact Cathy Bosworth , marcat8447@yahoo.com or Heather Halen , hjoyhalen@hotmail.com Book Discussion For the December 9 meeting, the Book Discussion Group will read Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston. For January 13, they will read the Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker. The three novels in the series are: Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, and The Ghost Road. The Book Discussion Group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m. in the West Assembly area. All readers welcome! Understanding Implicit Bias: Breaking the Cycle *facilitated by Dr. Raj, supported by RJCA Saturday, Dec 16, 9am-12pm Minnetonka United Methodist Church Lake St. Extension, Minnetonka Please RSVP to: info@rjcainc.org Take part in a meaningful, challenging conversation about the implicit biases we all carry and how to move beyond them. The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 2

3 Calendar Wednesday, December 6 10:00 am Staff Meeting Noon Seniors Advent Luncheon 5:30 pm Neighborhood Ministries Committee meeting 7:00 pm Midweek Advent Vespers 7:30 pm Cantorei rehearsal 8:00 pm Narcotics Anonymous Thursday, December 7 6:00 pm Bible Study Saturday, December 9 9:30 am Confirmation 10:00 am Book Discussion group Sunday, December 10 Second Sunday of Advent 8:00 am Holy Eucharist, followed by coffee and fellowship 9:30 am Sunday Church School / Adult Forum 10:45 am Holy Eucharist, with Reception of New Members, Noon New Members Welcome Luncheon 6:45 pm Mount Olive serves Our Saviour s meal Monday, December 11 7:00 pm Vestry meeting Tuesday, December 12 Noon Bible Study 4:00 pm Diaper Depot open A volunteer or two are needed videotape the sermon one Sunday every 4-6 weeks. Can be done for either liturgy. Training and all equipment are provided. Call Paul at for more information. Storytelling for Survivors: Exile, Empire, and the Shape of Scripture The current Thursday Bible study series of this year continues through Dec. 21, meeting in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Vicar Christy is leading this exploration of texts related to the Babylonian Exile ( B.C.E.), with an emphasis on understanding the writers as survivors making sense of crises. How did the experience of conquest and displacement shape how the ancient faith community told its story, and how do the questions they asked about God still live with us today? Over the five weeks, we will read selections from Kings, various prophets, the Psalms, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Esther. We begin at 6 pm with a light supper. All are welcome. The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 3

4 Alternative Gift Giving Are you looking for something different to do this year for Christmas gifts? The Missions Committee is promoting the idea of alternative gift giving this Christmas. For example, for $40, you can buy rice for a week for one of the Bethania Kids homes in India. We have catalogues from different charitable organizations that you can use or you can order from the organizations websites. Some of these organizations are: Lutheran World Relief: Heifer Project International: Common Hope: Bethania Kids: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (we will have ornaments of animals to buy during the fair trade sale that you can use to make a donation): Fair Trade Sale The Missions Committee will continue to host the fair trade sale. Purchase beautiful and unique fair trade items made by artisans in developing regions around the world. These items are available from SERRV, a nonprofit fair trade organization whose mission is to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide. Watch this video to learn more about SERRV and its artisans. The handcrafted fair trade items will be available for purchase after both liturgies on December 10 and 17. Fair trade coffee, chocolate and other food products from Equal Exchange through Lutheran World Relief s Coffee Project will also be available. This is not a fund-raiser, just an opportunity to buy good products for a good cause. Staff Christmas Gifts As is our tradition, this is the time of year that we gather monetary gifts for our terrific church staff. If you would like to contribute, please either use the offering envelope provided especially for this, or simply note staff gifts on your check and deposit it in the offering plate on Sunday morning or send it to the church office. Please have the gifts in by Sunday, December 17. Thanks for your generosity! Gifts of Securities If you are considering making a gift of securities as a donation to the General Fund or Bold Step Forward Fund, please let us know this gift is coming and the approximate amount of your gift. These gifts often come to the church without a name attached, and knowing who has made these donations helps us to ensure proper credit is given for annual contribution statements. If you are making a gift of securities, you can either call the church office or drop a note via to let us know. The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 4

5 National Lutheran Choir Christmas Festival: No Room? This cherished annual event creates a holy experience for audiences in the awe-inspiring Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. In 2017, the birth of Christ as a refugee story is more poignant and relevant than ever. In this time of unwelcome, discord, and deepening division, is there room for Christ to be born today? Friday, December 8, 4:30 pm & 8:00 pm and Saturday, December 9, 8:00 pm Tickets are available by calling Brown Paper Tickets , or order online at NLCA.com. Summer of '17... No More! Can't fool you any longer... it's not summer anymore! Any suggestions toward a new heading for these building updates? Send your best ideas to property@mountolivechurch.org. After months and months of articles about geothermal wells, heat pumps, glycol solutions, equally exciting stuff, it's time to go a different way. We had to get the heating system up and running - winter is coming - but Bold Step Forward included a second equally important priority for this first phase, and that will be coming soon: The New Parish House Entry The goal is to have the new entry complete in the next few months. The design is in the hands of fabricators and subcontractors for fine-tuning. Study the drawing. More updates to follow. While we re waiting, Property Committee is installing new entry operators on the upstairs restrooms, to make these rooms ADA compliant, an appropriate addition to the purpose of the new front entry. We should be finished with installing these by Christmas. The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 5

6 mer ry adjective 1. cheerful and lively. synonyms: cheerful, cheery, in high spirits, high-spirited, bright, sunny, smiling, lighthearted (of an occasion or season) characterized by festivity and rejoicing. he wished me a merry Christmas. Make merry more meaningful this year for a neighbor who may need a bit of extra rejoicing in their life. There are many ways to serve, give, and uplift someone in our community this Christmas. Pick one (or many!) to share your merriment with and make it more festive for you and them! Angel Tree partnering with Pillsbury House + Theater Pillsbury s social workers have referred families in serious need this season and we ve connected with them to ease their burden and show them a blessing. Read their stories and pick an ornament (or two!) to provide real hope for these neighbors. Gifts include essentials like rent and gas cards to family outings and a tree. Home Care Baskets for Our Saviour s Housing Take a list of needed items and fill a basket for someone experiencing home insecurity. Not able to do a whole basket? Anything from the list will be appreciated! Diaper Depot family gift bags Each December we give the families who use the diaper depot a bag with some extra goodies like wipes, toothbrushes, baby items, and a treat. Please help us wish them a Merry Christmas by decorating a gift bag after the Sunday services in the West Assembly area. More information about each program can be found in the West Assembly area of contact Anna Scott or a member of the Neighborhood Ministries Committee Cold Weather Gear Stay warm and keep others cozy! Neighborhood Ministries is collecting coats, hats, scarves, and mittens to be given away during Community Meals this winter. Please drop new or gently used donations in the box by the coat area. Thank you! The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 6

7 Mount Olive Lutheran Church 3045 Chicago Avenue Minneapolis, MN A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Sunday Eucharist: 8:00 & 10:45 am Contact Us Phone: 612/ On the Web: mountolivechurch.org Staff Pastor Joseph Crippen Cantor David Cherwien Vicar Jessica Christy Coordinator of Neighborhood Outreach and Ministry Anna Scott Administrative Assistant Cha Posz Sexton James Wilkes Mount Olive is a Reconciling in Christ congregation. In This Issue: Accent on Worship: Anna Scott New Members to be Received This Sunday Fair Trade Gift Sale is On! Cold Weather Gear Needed Construction Update Transitions Support Group to Meet January 6 Christmas Gifts for Local Organizations Sought The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 7

8 Church Library News Since the earlier fall Reformation 500 book sale here, our church library has been the recipient of several delightful children s books, gratis, published by SparkHouse Family Publishers and these books are of high quality in terms of contents and the illustrations are indeed very exceptional. This group includes: PSALM BOOK - Prayers and Poems for Kids -- by Naomi J. Krueger, editor PARABLES OF JESUS - a Play and Learn Book by Jill C. Lafferty, editor THE SPARK HOUSE STORY BIBLE - Devotions for Kids by Jill C. Lafferty, editor SEARCH AND FIND IN THE BIBLE - by Roanne Alexander, author and illustrator JONAH AND THE WHALE by Erwin Grosche THE CREATION OF THE WORLD by Uve Natus and Dagmar Geisler THE ADVENTURES OF MARTIN LUTHER by Carolyn Bergt, editor (Concordia) Other donations having to do with our special observance of the Reformation 500 anniversary include the following books, donated by our Rev. Rob Ruff, including: HIS ONLY SON OUR LORD by Kent S. Knutson THE SHAPE OF THE QUESTION by Kent S. Knutson GOSPEL, CHURCH MISSION by Kent S. Knutson LUTHER RISCH-REDEN AURIFABER - REFORMATION DAY 1972 a special large book (not for circulation) which President J.A.O. Preus donated to Dr. Kent Knutson on the Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. Several worthy donations have been given to our church library recently, as follows: LORD, TEACH US - The Lord s Prayer and the Christian Life by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerways, donated by Dwight Penas LUTHER FOR ARMCHAIR THEOLOGIANS by Steven Paulson donated by Beth Gaede This large grouping of chosen books have been donated to our library by David Molvik, including: HEALTH AND MEDICINE IN THE LUTHERAN TRADITION by Martin E. Marty FOLLOWING CHRIST IN A CONSUMER SOCIETY by John F. Kavanaugh THE LADDER OF THE BEATITUDES by Jim Forest MARTIN LUTHER - The Preservation of the Church by Martin Brecht WHY RELIGION MATTERS - The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief by Huston Smith PRAYING FOR WHOLENESS AND HEALING by Richard J. Beckman IN SEARCH OF BELIEF by Joan Chittister THE ORPHEAN PASSAGES The Drama of Faith by Walter Wangererin, Jr. NOW AND THEN by Frederick Buechner The following donations have been given as memorials, including: A GUIDE TO DAILY LIVING, WITH MOTHER THERESA given in memory of Catherine Lange MEDITATIONS/NOW by Leslie Brandt given in memory of Ed Mikkola REASON FOR HOPE - A Spiritual Journey given in memory of Donna Lincoln Also a new Bible has been added to our Reference collection THE PEOPLE S BIBLE: New RSV and the Apocrypha Come into our library soon to browse amongst this widely varied group of acquisitions on display! - Leanna Kloempken The Olive Branch, December 6, 2017 page 8